


Diving In

by bonibaru



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 11:05:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10410756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonibaru/pseuds/bonibaru
Summary: For a drabble challenge:Object: a rusty oil lampEmotion: GriefLine: I came to explore the wreck.





	

The door opened while Harry was still in mid-knock. Malfoy stared blankly at him for so long that Harry began to think that he wasn't really seeing him at all. But then he moved back away from the opening and Harry stepped inside cautiously.

Malfoy's flat was tidy, as usual; the only thing out of place was the stack of weathered texts on the table next to a rusty oil lamp. Harry recognized the books with a little twist in his gut; none of them were legal to own and some of them were rumoured to not even exist outside of fairy tales. He turned to face Malfoy, who stood with his arms crossed and an expression that was smooth and vacant and didn't inspire confidence of any kind.

"You've got five minutes," Malfoy said, and he didn't close the door.

"You were right," Harry said. "I should have listened to you, and I didn't. I'm sorry."

Malfoy looked off to the side, somewhere vaguely over Harry's left shoulder. There was no change of posture, no softening of expression. The rest of the words formulating in his mind died on Harry's tongue.

"Is that all?" Malfoy said after a few minutes of silence.

"I - I needed to explain," Harry tried again. "The way I was behaving today, it had nothing to do with you. Ginny …" he swallowed hard, the sudden resurgence of grief threatening to overwhelm his ability to speak. "She was my friend. I know it wasn't your fault - I know that if you could have, you would have done something to get her out of there before - but still that doesn't make it any -"

"How do you know?" Malfoy said, so softly that Harry almost wasn't sure he had spoken at all.

"What?"

"How do you know what I would have done?" Malfoy repeated, arching one eyebrow. He uncrossed his arms and stepped toward Harry. "You assume I even gave a damn. Why?"

Harry floundered. "Because - you - because we're a team," he said, struggling to understand what Malfoy was driving at. "We're all on the same side. We look after each other."

Malfoy shook his head. "The rest of you are a team," he said. "You look after each other. No one looks after me, Potter. What makes you think I would risk my neck to save Weasley's life? She wasn't strong magically, she had no use to the 'team' except for you to dangle out as bait. She was a trophy Riddle wanted to claim, and now he's taken her. But you shouldn't let it worry you. You've lost that edge, but you'll find something equally as attractive to lure him out with the next time the lot of you decide to go on some stupid suicide mission without telling me." Malfoy raked his eyes over Harry's body suggestively.

Harry shook his head, feeling the grief in his chest turn to anger. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" Malfoy said, moving still closer. They were face to face now, and Draco's eyes were hard. "Stop pretending I care? Stop being imperfect? Stop failing to live up to your ridiculous expectations? I am who I am, Potter. I'm not a noble Gryffindor hero, brimming over with love and loyalty to Dumbledore's cause. I'm in this because I want to survive. Stop picturing me as somebody I'm not, and you'll be a lot better off in the end."

Harry stared at him, and then started to laugh. It was a bitter, croaking sound, and it made his throat burn. "That's rich, Malfoy," he said. "That's the funniest thing I think I've ever heard. Somebody you're not. Ha, ha ha."

Draco frowned. "What the hell, Potter," he began, but Harry lunged forward, pushing Draco back against the wall and covering his mouth in a desperately brutal kiss. Harry thrust his tongue into Draco's pliant mouth, forgetting the open door, forgetting that Order members weren't allowed to come to this part of town alone until a horrified gasp brought him back to his senses. Breaking away from the shocked Malfoy, he turned and saw Ron standing in the doorway, wand out and pointed at them, white-faced and shaking and looking for all the world like he was about to vomit.


End file.
